The rope is a little more scratchy than I had hoped. Other reviews were mixed on this so I thought I would order anyway because I wanted a firm pouf to be able to sit on if need be. Initially I thought this to be the case, but they lose their shape even with using as a footstool within a short amount of time. I had company refund this purchase. They added nice texture to the room, but just did not withstand daily use. Maybe I got a bad set.